Blackbird teamwork on display at Colonial Council Relays Monday

By the tips of her fingers,Emma Collins, of Voorheesville, reaches back to grab the baton from teammate Rachel Treiber during Monday’s 4x100-meter relay at the Colonial Council Relays at Albany Academy. Voorheesville placed last out of eight teams with a time of 59.9 seconds.

The Enterprise — Jordan J. Michael

Invisible couch?Voorheesville junior Isaiah Meaux clears the high jump bar set at 5 feet during the Colonial Council Relays at Albany Academy on Monday. Meaux went on to clear 5 feet, 3 inches, and his teammate, Nick Windsor, cleared 5 feet, 6 inches to take first place in the event for the Blackbirds.

The Enterprise — Jordan J. Michael

Arms like wings:Olivia Rowland makes a long jump attempt for Voorheesville on Monday at Albany Academy during the Colonial Council Relays. The Birds placed sixth out of 11 teams in the event with a combined distance of 22 feet, 9 inches. Faith Cunningham, right, and Olivia Sheppard look on in the background.

The Enterprise — Jordan J. Michael

Sprinting down the home stretchduring the 4x200-meter relay is Voorheesville’s Sam Hunter on Monday at the Colonial Council Relays at Albany Academy. Hunter is the fastest female sprinter for the Blackbirds, and the relay team finished with a time of 2:08.40 for fifth place.

ALBANY — Track and field can easily be associated with individualism, but personal records don’t count for anything at the Colonial Council Relays. If your team doesn’t win, then you don’t win.

Even though most of Voorheesville’s athletes were away on vacation this week, the 22 who attended Monday’s event at Albany Academy made the most of their time.

“It’s like a showcase,” said Voorheesville Coach Phil Carducci, who was proud to be wearing shorts. “We’re here to have some fun.”

The only Blackbird team to win an event on Monday was the high-jumping duo of Nick Windsor and Isaiah Meaux, who combined for a first-place height of 10 feet, 9 inches. Windsor said that Meaux is new to the high jump, so he was proud of his teammate for clearing 5 feet, 3 inches, something he had never done before.

Windsor and Meaux have different jumping techniques. Windsor uses a four-step start, and Meaux runs up to the bar from a greater distance.

Windsor was the only competitor starting from close proximity on Monday, so his style can be seen as unconventional. However, he jumped as high as anyone else.

“A lot of people rely on speed, but it messes with me, so I take as few steps as possible,” said Windsor. “I’m just trying to keep it consistent, but, if the bar is raised to an intense height, I will move back.”

Indeed, Windsor took a few more steps when the bar was at 5 feet, 9 inches. None of the remaining jumpers were able to clear that height.

“If I hit the bar, I’m thinking of where and when I hit it, and what I can do to change that,” Windsor said. “I can’t get mad; it’s going to happen eventually.”

Sam Hunter, Voorheesville’s fastest female sprinter who placed fourth in Section 2 in the 200-meter last year, single-handedly got the Birds’ 4x200-meter relay back into contention on Monday when she burned through the last leg of the race. She’s not tall, but her strides are very long for her size.

Hunter, a junior, has a personal record of 26.3 seconds in the 200-meter, which is less than half-a-second off Voorheesville’s school record. She says that running is one of the only reasons why she wants to attend college.

“If there’s a girl in front of me, I’m turning over my legs as much as possible,” said Hunter; she torched a runner from Ichabod Crane on Monday. “It’s me and the track, so, I zone out.”

Here are the girls’ results for Voorheesville at the Colonial Council Relays:

— 4x100-meter relay, eighth place out of eight, 59.9;

— 4x200-meter relay, fifth place out of seven, 2:08.4;

— 4x400-meter relay, third place out of six, 4:29.9;

— 1,600-meter sprint medley relay; sixth place out of six; 5:06.7;

— 3x100-meter hurdles relay, seventh place out of seven, 1:10.6;

— Long jump; sixth place out of 11; 22 feet, 9 inches; and

— Discus throw; fifth place out of 11; 171 feet, 8 inches.

Here are the boys’ results for Voorheesville at the Colonial Council Relays: